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"400" repair


H-400
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On 24/01/2022 at 21:55, H-400 said:

Got also a complete set of Ronals 7x15 5-stud for the GSI so it is a complete mix up. Need time to fit them, wanted to install a Commo rear axle but the Belgian MOT doesn't allow it so I'v got to do it with the half shafts. 

Hi Herman, are you planning to use the std manta wheel bearing ( with a spacer on shaft), on the Commodore axle shafts to fit GSI axle?

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Hi Pete, as you wrote a spacer on the shaft and because the commo shaft is longer Gonna fit also something as a spacer plate to close the both ends (left & right) of the axle. This will make the axle a bit wider. At the front I'm going to use the std. Manta stub housing with commo hubs. Got bushes made on a lathe because the commo stub is bigger and longer. So the commo hubs need some work to fit the castle nut etc... 

At the rear I'v got to fit commo drums as our Belgian MOT doesn't allow any upgrades, at the front commo discs but have to look for calipers that fit over those bigger hubs/discs and fit on the Manta stub housing. Got original commo/400 calipers but the dimensions of the holes are different. 

Got a commo rear axle that I wanted to fit as the rekord D/E, drilling out the Manta brackets and replace them to fit the longer bottom trailing arms but I heared about someone that MOT'd his Manta after the same rebuild the Belgian MOT destroyed his VIN (administrativ). 

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Sounds like it’s very hard for you Herman. I think if you can make changes that look the same as the standard Manta you won’t get caught. 🤞

I used Commodore front stubs with Monza hubs. I found a bearing specialist who found me bearings with the same internal dimensions as the Commodore shafts and external dimensions to match Monza hubs. No sleeves or spacers required. 

On the rear I welded Manta spring seats to the GSE axle and kept the Manta lower trailing arms. The only addition was short top links and anti-roll bar from the Commodore.

Visually there is no torque tube and additional top links - That’s it. Only someone very knowledgable with Mantas will notice. 

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I shortened the Commodore ones. 

I think Opel GT and Manta A ones work too but someone needs to confirm this. 
 

From the lower ball joint centre to the track rod end ball joint centre needs to be about 120mm to match the standard manta. Mine are about 125mm. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Took the scope to have a look inside the engine:

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Spark plugs have a good colour, but on the thread black & dry. Also the top of the pistons have a dry thin black surface so the injection is too rich. Something I can adjust with the spring inside the AFM. Best of all is to do this together with a portable 4-gas tester to check the O2 (lambda). I can also buy a wideband lambda kit to install in my car.

Next pic is one my son Sean took just before I fitted the head, Sean mailed it a few days ago and just want to share it, my boy can take nice pics:

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Have all a nice and peacefull weekend

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10 minutes ago, ®evo03 said:

Once you have it balanced, tuned,  or calibrated, have you any plans for carbon clean? Or old fashioned way,  good hard spirited drive!

Enjoy! 😁

We have a very expensive carbon cleaning unit at the Garage, cost 3K. It’s a waste of money. Run good fuel with additives in for cleaning the engine.

 

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31 minutes ago, ®evo03 said:

Once you have it balanced, tuned,  or calibrated, have you any plans for carbon clean? Or old fashioned way,  good hard spirited drive!

The head gasket is a bit too expensive to open the engine😁, it is a very thin layer on the pistons. So I'm going to use an additive but before I'll soak it in oil. Informed at some shops I know if they have a portable 4 gas tester but seems hard to find... 

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39 minutes ago, H-400 said:

The head gasket is a bit too expensive to open the engine😁, it is a very thin layer on the pistons. So I'm going to use an additive but before I'll soak it in oil. Informed at some shops I know if they have a portable 4 gas tester but seems hard to find... 

What about an after market kit Herman? Weld a sensor boss  into your exhaust and make a box with the gauge in that you can hook up to the car battery and sensor only when needed.

other times just put a blanking plug in the hole? Should be able to get it up and running for a couple of hundred Euros I expect.

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4 hours ago, Jessopia74 said:

We have a very expensive carbon cleaning unit at the Garage, cost 3K. It’s a waste of money. Run good fuel with additives in for cleaning the engine.

 

Good to know.

3 hours ago, Jessopia74 said:

What about an after market kit Herman? Weld a sensor boss  into your exhaust and make a box with the gauge in that you can hook up to the car battery and sensor only when needed.

other times just put a blanking plug in the hole? Should be able to get it up and running for a couple of hundred Euros I expect.

I got an AEM 30-0300 combined wideband controller and display gauge. It’s easy to install and gives clear real time information.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-AEM-X-Series-Wideband-UEGO-AFR-Sensor-Controller-Gauge-30-0300-LSU-4-9-/121978632419?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

 

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2 hours ago, H-400 said:

Thanks for the link Jonathan, always nice to be sure the kit works fine. Going to contact the seller if there are any extra "brexit taxes"

No tax will be charged by seller in UK mate, technically the VAT should be taken off too for you, then you pay that to your own tax authority, but that’s not likely. 

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3 hours ago, H-400 said:

Thanks for the link Jonathan, always nice to be sure the kit works fine. Going to contact the seller if there are any extra "brexit taxes"

It’s a nice bit of kit Herman, but I would stress it’s not fitted to a cih engine!

I always ask the seller lots of questions to ensure I get the right part, but it also helps me decide if I want to do business with them. If they can’t be bothered to reply or I’m not convinced by their reply I’ll start looking elsewhere.

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Strange, the kit is for sale for 140£, but when I go further to contact the seller the price goes suddenly up to 168,99£. So I thought this was cause of taxes. So I contacted the seller and had today an answer. Did a copy-paste, below you all can see my question beginning with "Dear All"...

Going to look further...

Nieuw bericht van: fuel-performance (15,847YELLOW_SHOOTING_STAR Star)

Hi

£168.99 each
+
Shipping
+
Import Taxes/VAT when it arrives in Belgium

FUEL PERFORMANCE GLOBAL
www.fuelperformance.co.uk

$_1.JPG?set_11.JPG?set_id=807

 

Reageren

 

 

 

Je vorige bericht

Dear All, the price of this item is 140,82£ but when I go further the price goes up to 168,99£. Is this cause of export (Brexit) taxes? Kind regards from Belgium,
Herman

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Hi Herman, there is 100% no such thing as an export tax. Belgium could impose Import taxes depending on how they see the parts, this is usually VAT.

Loads of really boring tax info rubbish, but there is a new scheme that covers VAT and some marketplace sellers, such as Amazon, who automatically calculate and apply this fee so there is no delays. Smaller companies selling below €150 should use another scheme, if they are set up for it. So, it could be something to do with that too. But it’s most likely that as seller is giving free UK postage, from your account it’s recalculated.

Also eBay/PayPal converting rates are really crap. They will offer cruddy exchange rates.

if you need help getting it to you, under the radar just DM me 

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My daily car (Insignia) and the Manta GSI have a towing insurance, all over Europe. This towing firm (VAB) has got also a diagnostic centre where their members can test a car before buying or cars with problems. Was forgotten about this but yesterday I mailed them and yes they can test the air/feul ratio while driving on the rolls. I have an appointment next Tuesday 09.30AM 👍 

This does not stop my hunt for a wide band lambda kit, just want to be sure about my mixture. The same time the Belgian MOT invited my "400", oldtimers from 30 to 50 years old must be checked every 2 years.

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Parcel with the Lambda kit arrived today, and Jess surprised me with a Birthday card:

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Thanks Jess! 👍

About the diagnostic test: the guy of the centre said directly there was too much oxygen in the exhaust gas, so I took a rag and closed the endpipe and noticed there is a very small hole in the back muffler. So an exact reading of the O2 was not possible. Have to look for my welder again.

Edited by H-400
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  • 4 weeks later...

Chaos everywhere at this moment! I removed the two mufflers and noticed they were broken on the seem cause of tension/vibration:

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Also the perforated tube inside the first muffler was playing around in the box, so I ordered a new one from Germany:

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So I'm going to cut the box in pieces to repair them. You all would say why the repair and not buying a new one? Well this is a 63 mm line and street legal, they are numbered and included in my car papers and made by Irmscher/Sebring. Began with cutting of some parts:

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And than the excavator  was there! Err?? I hear you all wondering, off topic made some plans with my neighbour and suddenly the guys were there:

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And if it was not enough the diagnostic light of my Insignia began to light up! Checked it together with a friend of my son (Opel dealer mecanical) and camshaft and crankshaft are not in line enymore. So the two timingchains/guides/tensioners are worn or broken. And a few days later I had to drive to the south of France! Ordered the pieces and fitted a complete new set, also the cranckshaft seal etc...:

 

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No plastic parts were broken or worn but the chains were longer than the new ones, so redy for France. My apologies to Jess, he made it possible to deliver that nice wideband lambda kit but it is still not fitted😥. In a few ours we leave for France with the Insignia, our son drives together with a friend with a Calibra. 

Grts, Herman

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